Published: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 07:01 PM.

Williams, a former deputy inspector general with the
Los Angeles
Unified
School District
, has lived in
Jacksonville
for four years, according to a press release he sent The Daily News.

Williams said that he decided to run after seeing that no one had filed for the
Jacksonville
race except incumbents.

He said that he thought about it over the weekend, discussed it with friends and family and decided that “if we’re going to have elections, we need some competition.” He also said that he hopes to bring a new face and new ideas to the campaign.

Kent Painter, who currently serves as Richlands’ mayor pro tem, was among the most recent incumbents to file to run for Richlands alderman. Painter filed Monday, according to the Onslow County Board of Elections. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Incumbent Paul Conner was the last of the current Richlands board members to file for reelection. Conner said that he has loved serving on the board since he was appointed to it and that, if elected, it would be his third term.

Williams, a former deputy inspector general with the Los AngelesUnifiedSchool District, has lived in Jacksonville for four years, according to a press release he sent The Daily News.

Williams said that he decided to run after seeing that no one had filed for the Jacksonville race except incumbents.

He said that he thought about it over the weekend, discussed it with friends and family and decided that “if we’re going to have elections, we need some competition.” He also said that he hopes to bring a new face and new ideas to the campaign.

Kent Painter, who currently serves as Richlands’ mayor pro tem, was among the most recent incumbents to file to run for Richlands alderman. Painter filed Monday, according to the Onslow County Board of Elections. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Incumbent Paul Conner was the last of the current Richlands board members to file for reelection. Conner said that he has loved serving on the board since he was appointed to it and that, if elected, it would be his third term.

Small government, he said, is a different beast.

“It’s real interesting ... I just feel like I’m helping out my community,” he said.

In Swansboro’s race, Larry Philpott filed Monday to retain his commissioner seat and Pat Turner filed to run for a commissioner seat. Philip R. Keagy joined the commissioner race on Tuesday.

Keagy said he served on the board previously about six years ago and has contemplated running again multiple times but he was not quite ready. Even this time, he said, he was not planning to run but after discussing it with friends he opted to throw his hat in the ring.

“It’s easier to work from within than it is from the outside,” the Swansboro native said.

“I am really proud of the things that we’ve accomplished over the past six years that I’ve been there with the different boards that I’ve served with. I’ve enjoyed serving with this present board and there are several things that we have not finished that I would like finished,” Chadwick said. Among those are a dock on Church Street and the downtown waterfront plan and the gateway plan. “I think those things are very important and will make a significant difference in our town and I want to be there to help finish them.”

Turner, who said she has served on the town’s planning board for 14 years, told The Daily News that the decision to run was one that came after years of it being suggested. She only decided on it after learning Junior Freeman would be leaving his seat open to run for mayor.

“I love the things that we’ve done in the planning board in Swansboro ,and I just think that it was time for me to take this opportunity and see if I was successful and hopefully have more of a positive influence on Swansboro,” she said.

Philpott could not immediately be reached for comment.

Kelly Horne, deputy director of the Onslow County Board of Elections, said that while competition is warming up in a few races, election officials are simply glad to see slots filling.

Deadline to file is noon Friday.

Amanda Hickey is the government reporter at The Daily News and can be reached at amanda.hickey@jdnews.com.